Drew Dodson here with this week’s edition of the Valley Lookout newsletter. On Monday, I spent four hours writing my name. Seriously. As we prepare to launch Incredible Idaho Women, the first 1,500 copies of the book to be distributed are being signed by all of us who worked on it. Well, the first 1,486 copies, to be exact (ask me how I know!).

And so I sat in a downtown Boise office and scribbled away, signature after signature, one spent Sharpie after another. I was about 350 books in when I realized my 3rd grade cursive lessons did not, in fact, stick. In self-preservation mode, I switched to a more generic “D scribble D” signature that looked less like it was written by my third-grade self.

By the time I had signed 1,000 books, it dawned on me that my “new and improved” signature looks an awful lot like “Don D,” which is great, except that my name’s not Don and an actual Don — BoiseDev Editor Don Day — is also signing the book.

Suffice it to say, the first page of the book may be a wild ride. But the 127 pages that follow are an even wilder ride, from Barbara Morgan’s space odyssey to Kristin Armstrong’s race to the Olympics. Each story is brought to life by custom portraits of each featured woman, painted specially for this book by a whole other subset of incredible Idaho women.

We can’t wait to share the book with the world and, hopefully, help inspire the next generation of incredible Idaho women. Join us Nov. 12 in Boise for a book launch party featuring a panel of women featured in the book.

First up

Valley Lookout launches new event hub

Don Day writes: We’ve been bringing you a selection of great “Things To Do” here in Valley Lookout each week  We’ve noticed that there’s not a great “one stop” for local events online. So we decided to launch one!

Our new Things To Do section is stocked with tons of local events in just about every category you can think of. Plus, for the first time, if you have an event, you can submit it for consideration and display on our website. Drew will keep featuring his picks in this newsletter, but you’ll find much more online.

Plus, we’re launching a Things To Do calendar for the Boise area too on BoiseDev.

Valley Co.’s unusually wet October fueled by low pressure, atmospheric river

More than twice as much rain as normal fell in McCall this October, according to data from the National Weather Service.

A weather data collection station at the McCall Municipal Airport recorded about 2.9 inches of rainfall since Oct. 1, or more than twice as much as the 1.3 inches seen in October on average.

The monthly total included a record rainfall last Saturday of 1.3 inches, which broke a rainfall record for Oct. 25 that was previously set in 1940 with about 1.1 inches.

BoiseDev Managing Editor Sarah Jacobsen, who holds a certification in meteorology from Mississippi State University, reviewed the monthly data for Valley Lookout and provided insights into why October was so wet this year. She pointed to a series of low-pressure systems, coupled with a persistent atmospheric river, as the catalyst for the high rainfall totals.

“These two weather phenomena go hand in hand,” Jacobsen said. “A low-pressure system is associated with rising air, which leads to cloud formation and often results in stormy weather like rain, snow, and thunderstorms. A strong atmospheric river will feed moisture into the low-pressure system, providing fuel for the storm. The stronger the low-pressure system becomes, the stronger the atmospheric river becomes.”

Jacobsen expects the pattern to continue into November, bringing more rain and snow to Valley County.

“We are currently under La Nina, and those conditions are set to persist into the winter,” she said. “So, if you’re a cold-weather lover, you’re in luck!”

While far above average, this October did not eclipse nearly 3.4 inches of rain that fell in McCall in October 2021.

(Photo: Courtesy Tyler Rasmussen/Idaho Wild Lens)

Election Day Round-up

McCall voters

• McCall City Council – Five candidates competing for three seats. Read Valley Lookout Q&A or view the candidate forum hosted by The Star-News.

McCall-Donnelly voters

• Mountain Community Center District – Proposed tax on short-term rentals to fund a community field house. Valley Lookout preview available here.
• McCall-Donnelly School District Levy – Proposed two-year, $950,000 supplemental property tax levy. Read the Valley Lookout preview.

Cascade voters

• Cascade School Board – Four candidates competing for two seats. Valley Lookout candidate Q&A available here.
• Southern Valley County Recreation District Board – Two candidates competing for one seat. Valley Lookout candidate Q&A available here. 

New Meadows voters

• New Meadows Mayor – Incumbent Mayor Julie Good vs. write-in challenger Richard Yelton. Read Valley Lookout Q&A. 
• Meadows Valley School Board – Incumbent trustee Barb Dixon vs. challenger Lisa Potter. Valley Lookout candidate Q&A available here.

‘Undeniable energy’: Economic Summit to tackle infrastructure

A regional gathering of government agencies, businesses, nonprofits and other organizations is set to talk infrastructure during an annual summit next month in McCall.

The West Central Mountains Economic Development Council Economic Summit will be held on Thursday, Nov. 13, at the Elk Creek Church Celebration Center in McCall.

“This year’s Economic Summit highlights infrastructure in a holistic way — from housing and planning to water, sewer, transportation, and natural resources,” said Lindsey Harris, executive director for the WCMEDC. “With the growth our region continues to experience, maintaining and modernizing these foundational systems is critical.”

Registration to the summit will remain open until tickets are sold out. The event is targeted toward businesses, organizations, and government agencies, but is open to anyone.

Harris described the summit as the “only regional convener of its kind” and said it has become a “trusted space for communication, collaboration, and stewardship.”

“There’s an undeniable energy in the room each year,” she said. “The conversations spark collaboration, strengthen relationships, and forge new connections between people and organizations that might not have crossed paths otherwise.”

Click here for more information on this year’s summit and a complete agenda.

Civic Lookout

• Valley County Commissioners: Monday starting at 9 a.m. Agenda to be posted here.
• Election Day: Polling locations in McCall, Donnelly, Cascade, and New Meadows open Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Valley Lookout Original Reporting

Forest Service expands The Frank with ‘particularly vulnerable’ Valley Co. parcel

The Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness is now 94 acres larger after a private parcel near Yellow Pine was added to federally protected wilderness. Read the full story on Valley Lookout.

‘It’s unheard of in Yellow Pine’: 24-hour fuel sales proposed in remote Valley Co. village

An application filed by a Washington company could change Yellow Pine’s status as a fuel desert. Read the full story on Valley Lookout.

‘No one can ever put a gate up’: Valley Co. accepts Wilks Brothers roads near Cascade

The county now owns more than a dozen forest roads near a pseudo-subdivision owned by the billionaire Texans, but officials said maintenance costs will be on future homeowners. Read the full story on Valley Lookout.

Mountain Happenings

McCall

• Let’s Talk AI: Doing Democracy series to tackle artificial intelligence tonight from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the McCall Public Library.
• Trivia Night: Every Thursday night at 6 p.m. at Broken Horn Brewing.
• Trunk or Treat: Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the parking lot for Alpine Village in downtown McCall.
• Haunted Lodge: Little Ski Hill to host Halloween celebration for all ages on Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. $7 entry.
• First Saturday: Gallery 55 to host reception for this month’s feature artists, oil painter Tatianna Stroganova and photographer Connie McClaran, on Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Donnelly

• Spanish wine tasting and dinner: tonight at Stefano’s Tasting Yurt at 6 p.m. Reservations are $55 and can be made by calling 208-325-3463.
• Trunk or Treat: Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Donnelly.
• Halloween Party: Seven Devils Taphouse to host third annual party on Friday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Cascade

• Trunk or Treat: Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Freedom Outdoors and starting at 5 p.m. at Hotel NoBo.
• Haunted Pub Party: Warm Lake Lodge to host costume party on Friday night.
• The Hunt for Bigfoot: Six golden Bigfoots will be hidden around Cascade on Saturday. Find them to claim prizes at Bigfoot Brew Coffee to celebrate its one-year anniversary.

New Meadows

• Candidate Forum: Candidates for New Meadows mayor and the Meadows Valley School Board to meet public and answer questions on Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. in the New Meadows Train Depot.
• Trunk or Treat: Free Halloween celebration hosted by Meadows Valley Parks and Recreation in Dorsey Warr Memorial Park on Oct. 31 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Mountain Pet of the Week

Meet Mr. Pickles! Unlike most of the dogs featured on this newsletter, Mr. Pickles could be yours! He is currently up for adoption at MCPAWS Animal Shelter, which describes him as an adorable 2-year-old adorable meatball who has a sweet, loving energy and is all smiles! Pickles loves scratches and wants all of your attention. He’ll be a great companion for a picnic, movie night, and even a fun walk around the neighborhood.

Click here to nominate your pet for Mountain Pet of the Week for a chance to be featured on a weekly newsletter!